Sasquatch to the Moon

18: Kiss Me Like

another exceptionally long chapter

ROCKET

"Odd how good my english has gotten since dating you," Håkon slips his fingers into mine, both of us on a post-workout emotionally-exhausted walk around Isa's neighborhood.

"Having only one overlapping language between the two of us would do that." I respond. "Your accent is fading, though."

"Oh good," he responds. "I can't stand listening to myself speak english in interviews. It's atrocious compared to the way you and Steph talk."

"Awh," I complain. "I like it."

"You do?" He laughs. "Ever heard me say anything with vowels? It's painful."

"Humongous." I mock, squeezing his hand four times.

He just laughs. "I should've never said that near you."

"It just sounds like you're struggling with the whole thing."

"And you don't?" He bumps his shoulder against mine, feet stopping. "It's just such a clumsy word."

I stop with him. "And?"

"And hold on," he mumbles, pulling out his phone. I watch his eyes go wide. "Oh, fuck." then: "Hi, mom."

He glances at me with unbridled fear and then turns it on speaker.

"Oh, english? Why are you speaking in english?"

"Uhm," he looks over at me and I gape right back.

"Have you not tol-"

"I have!" he hisses in return.

"Then why-"

"I don't know."

"Håkon?" I pause at the odd twinge she puts on his name and he stands up straight again.

"Yeah, hi, how's it going? Why are you calling?"

"Oh, Isa mentioned that your... date-"

"Plus one."

"Sure, plus one, is a teammate of yours?"

He pulls in a breath. "...yes? What about it?"

"Well I just thought that when, god, what's the name you gave me-"

"Milo."

"...Milo? I thought you said... nevermind." she clears her throat. "I was just expecting you to bring a girl, you know, because a plus one is supposed to be a date."

"It's... just a plus one." He responds. I'm watching his body language get weird. "He's Isa's friend too and she was the one that invited him."

"O-oh." She clears her throat. "So when are you home?"

I wince at this and it slips out of his mouth before he can stop it. "I'm back, already."

"And you didn't come visit? Håkon if-"

"I know it's been wild with all of what's going on so Milo and I are staying with Isa to take the load off your shoulders."

"Both of you together? I would think... nevermind."

"Yeah, both of us, I was planning on using the cabin for the nights approaching and after the whole day just to give Isa and Leo breathing room."

"Y-yeah that would be fine, nobody else is expected to need that space."

"Mom is there something going on?" He asks and the response slips out in Swedish. His eyes go wide.